great review :-) I've been shooting landscapes with my 50R for nearly 3 years now and love it. I use the 23mm, 32-64 and 100-200mm lenses, all of which are excellent and warrant the price in my opinion.. I thought about getting a 100S or used 100 but quickly realised they wouldn't really improve my images. I shoot in manual focus 100% of the time so AF speed is not important to me. And as I shoot petty well all my images on a tripod I don't need IBIS. My only real dislikes are the ergos and button placement. It's hands down the best camera I've ever used for my style of shooting.
I also got the 50r on sale 6 months ago, along with the 32-64mm (also on sale). I came from a Nikon d800e and Sigma DP2 Merrills. I do landscapes and fine art painting reproductions and absolutely love this camera. Best digital camera I have ever used. The 32-64mm lens is as sharp as prime lenses, at all zoom levels, when stopped down a bit. I also got the Fotodiox adapter for my Mamiya 7 (best film camera I ever used) lenses, which works like a charm. The Mamiya 80mm and 150mm are tack sharp without any vignetting when stopped down and resulting images have an absolutely brilliant look and feel. Also I just ordered the Fuji 50mm as it is under $1000 Canadian at the moment. I feel like I have hit peak camera with the 50r. Oh ya, also getting away from the horrible 3:2 format to the 4:3 is also a big positive. Note: a did a quick test comparing output from my Sigma DP2 Merrill to the 50r (equiv 45mm using the zoom) and man oh man the Sigma holds up extremely well! Keep the reviews coming!
That sounds awesome! looking forward to getting the fotodiox adapter too. Mamiya 80mm is my favorite lens of all time. Cant wait to see what it looks like on the 50R. Thanks for the comment, and excited to make more videos soon.
@@davecapote That Mamiya 80mm is also my favorite. It works really well on the 50r, but is a bit of a weird focal length. It converts to a 35mm equivalent of 63mm, which is a very unique focal length, but that being said I have come to like it. I sometimes use it as a walk around lens and find it very easy to focus manually using focus peaking. It has to be one of the best lenses ever made.
Interesting times. I own the GFX50r, Mamiya 7, Bronica etrs system, Merrills and the three lenses from the Mamiya 6 system. Have just adapted the Bronica PE lenses ( still evaluating ), will buy the adaptor for the single Mamiya 7 lens I own and really wish there was an adaptor for the Mamiya 6 G lenses, which there isnt. So we have wonderful choices.
Great Video. I love my GFX50R and shoot weddings only with it (Slow Style). It is so inspiring. I had a Canon R6 for Backup but i dont use it and sold it. My Setup is GF45 and GF80
Wow that’s awesome. Lot of confidence to be doing that but if it works it works! Also, both are lenses I’ve been eyeing forever. Thanks for the comment and good luck with your weddings post pandemic!
Hi David, I know it’s been a year you’ve done this awesome video and I just stumbled upon it. You want to say from the GFX R to the 50sii & 100s medium format those cameras was never designed for every day shoot. I shot medium film format for years with everything manual focus, exposure, shutter, speed, film, speed all done manually. I was the computer that triggered everything. Now that we in the digital age nothing change but it has a computer inside to aid the photography process. That Fuji’s MF for people who knows how to understand how to control that large format camera. Fuji had finally almost replace and getting closer to film simulation. Compared to other digital media format we can now afford to experience the truth, quality image of a medium format. Thank You for your wisdom and experience. I’m glad to see young man like you who has patience and passion and getting great results.
Dude... There's just something about how medium format images look... They look really cinematic, clean, smooth and really stunning. Doesn't matter if it's a 10MP sensor or a 100MP sensor, a medium format image will always stick out from the crowd. I always recognize an image taken with a medium format sensor in an instant, that's how much they stick out - at least to me.
I tried the GFX 50 S2 yesterday out, actually wanted the gfx 50r but yeah. And I forgot to check what resolution it is going to save... It save in 30mp and even with that resolution it is soooooo sharp. I was like oh f yeah that must be the lens and the 50mp but no it was 30mp haha. I only tried it out in the shop and I think I am in love. I looked at the photos later, I saw directly like wow that's the Medium format look. I photographed my camera and a lens and it was just so smooth how the parts a bit out of focus and in focus flow into each other. I.... I want it. worst thing was the auto focus of course, it reminded me of the analog camera I got for 20$.
@@foxyvisionsvideographer Well, in the medium format world, the best AF you're going to get, is if you spend your entire life savings on a high end Hasselblad or on any of the PhaseOne cameras - otherwise, people who shoot medium format mostly use manual focus anyway (that's also why most if not all medium format lenses are manual focus only.) Ever since I wrote my original comment up here, I have made a full switch onto Hasselblad X system. First I sold all my Sony gear, then I sold all my Canon gear and then I took a 2 month break from any photography work in order to make the full switch into the Hasselblads X system more smooth and let me tell you... It was the best decision I have ever made! Even my clients tell me that the images look much better than what's seen on my portfolio (don't know if I should be happy or sad about that LOL) so currently I'm in the process of re-doing my entire portfolio! (Forgot to mention: I went with the X1Dll not the original X1D and hopefully, in near future, I will have enough money saved up to switch to Hasselblads H system!)
@@foxyvisionsvideographer Well it's me and my brother who started the business, doing weddings but as of 2017, we completely quit doing weddings for good and now we do mostly portraiture, boudoir/nude art and non-commercial editorials - which, compared to dealing with all the constant stress, constant pressure, high risk, anxiety, and everything else that goes hand in hand with doing weddings, is life changing and when I say life changing I mean that to the literal sense of the word! I don't know about my brother but I, personally, will never do weddings, ever again! As far as studio work goes, most of our work revolves around women/models/''portfolio chasers'' and they already have a general idea of what they want when they contact us, so about 70-80% of our work is either portraiture or nude art, the rest are simple editorials. As for where do we mostly shoot, I'd say it's 50/50, since usually our clients already know whether they want to go out or stay in the studio, before they even contact us and sometimes they even have a place in mind, where they want to do the shoot. Lately, even before I switched to Hasselblad, we started doing way more nude art/boudoir and glamour style shoots outdoors. For some reason, abandoned buildings and random grass fields that are 1 billion miles away from the city, seem to be REALLY popular with models these days.
Great, honest and accurate review. Have been using this camera for a couple of years and agree with everything you say. It’s a good camera and I love it for what it does, but it’s not a 35mm speed demon. But, I didn’t expect it would be. What this camera does is fill that desire that I had for a digital equivalent to my medium format film cameras and it does that very well. Good luck and God bless. Don
I think a lot of photographers who purchased the Fujifilm Medium format camera ,never rented one prior to purchasing one and or have no ideal what a medium format main purpose is. This is not a sport camera ,stop trying to make it one. Most peoples who shoot with a medium format use manual focus in anyway.
Awesome video! Thinking about adding the camera to my kit and it was really helpful to hear the cons along with the pros. Definitely helped me with my decision! Thanks!
Very nice and honest review Dave…the comparison with Mamiya 7 is spot on! I will also add the Fuji GA645i as similar. Is not a fast camera but a great camera if you slow down, like portraits and of course landscape. I have this camera and mostly use it for landscape in manual mode… I’m using older Hasselblad V lens with adapter as an alternative an the results are incredible! Thanks for sharing, be safe. Cheers…
just for a slight correction on the RAW and color profiles - nithibg is baked into the RAW file per-se, it is represented as exif data for the RAW, but if/how that exif data is applied is entirely up to the software in post-editing- completely non-destructive to the image
thanks for the info! A lot of viewers comments have cleared that up for me and I hope people search through to get some better information on it! Also found that Capture One likes to play nicely with these files rather than Lightroom. Even down to the weird noise that Lightroom puts into the images.
glad I came across your video. Considering my next purchase and the GFX has been tempting especially if I stop shooting film (which I don't do a ton of anymore anyway) and for portrait work. Have considered the XH2, the ARiii or iv, Nikon Z7 and others but seeing some used prices on the 50R and it is super tempting. Biggest consideration for me is if I will like having a camera in rangefinder style when all other cameras are traditional dslr style (the muscle memory is definitely a thing!).
Regarding that slow shutter, I guess you have to bear in mind that you’re opening and closing something not far off the size of a garage door!😂. I do love my 50R. I’m a landscape shooter and use it with a Canon 24mm tilt-shift. Dream combination.
Yeah it isn’t shocking in that aspect, I was just presenting it for someone who is full frame mirrorless user that might be watching this who isn’t exposed to that world. Like you said though quality is something else!
I’m using sonya 7r IV, canon eos r5 for my professional use. But Fuji gfx 50r on alone nigh walks, it’s just awesome. Somehow the pics from Fuji gfx 50r are better then sony a7s iii ( in the night). 🙂🙂
larger pixel sensors usually help out a bunch! Very surprising to hear the comparison to the a7siii. I owned a a7sii back in the day and swear that thing had night vision. It was amazing
@@davecapote couple of your comments about colors and Sony and spending too much time jacking with color, as well as trying to get close to film... I have at least three times heard comments from clients using the words "orange... too orange..." And spend too much time trying to get color where I think it should be... But the biggest driver..... that medium format is just different...
Hey Dave, really enjoyed your video and listening to your thoughts on this - especially your chilled out / laid back vibe. Just a couple of things to clarify (really more for other viewers - not you) that might be helpful; first, the film simulations and setting "recipes" are only baked into the RAW files in that this is how the embedded JPEG preview sidecar file looks - but your actual RAW file is unaffected. That said, whatever software you’re using has to make some decision on how to display that RAW file off the bat, and particularly in the case of Capture One (which I also love) as opposed to Lightroom (which I ditched years ago), Capture One uses this embedded JPEG so (really helpfully for me) it displays your RAW file (if you want it to) using the exact same look as the simulation and settings you chose to shoot it with. However, you still have the freedom to start from a different profile/look, including Fuji’s other film simulations. LR by comparison uses its own ICC profiles which aren’t anything like the original JPEG’s or as good a Fuji’s film simulations, so there’s a lot more work just to get it to look how you actually shot it. As for the whole "real medium format" size sensors, what PhaseOne and Hasselblad fail to mention is that not only were their older "medium format" sensors the same size (44x33mm), and some of their models still use that same size (and of course no one disputes those are "true medium format"), but even their current "full frame medium format sensors" are only actually 53x40mm - which of course is bigger than what they used to (and still do use on some models) but none of them are still quite "true" medium format which started at 60x40mm and there was also 60x60mm, 60x70mm and 60x90mm - so all those criticisms of Fujifilm’s amazing medium format sensor not being "true" medium format are just b@llsh&t and let’s face it, they’re just terrified that the GFX system is really good by their amazing standards without it costing £20-30k! Finally (sorry for long rant) if you love the big grip on your old Mamiya, you will love the new GFX100S. It’s super chunky and satisfying to hold - especially with the SmallRig plate to extend the body length just a little more 😉. Also so far I only have the 32-64mm f/4 but the autofocus is incredibly fast, and quiet on the GFX100S and more than quick enough for everything I need (the 110mm f/2 arrives next week, so will see how that compares) with the Phase Detection AF, so that negative you’ve experienced would disappear if/when you get chance to upgrade 👍 The lenses are also way cheaper than the competition in the medium format market, or even the new Canon lenses for the R5. The shutter on the GFX100s is also way, way quieter and super responsive (like my X-H1)
Hey Stephen, wow thanks for that response. The reason I love RUclips and making these videos so much is people can add so much valuable information in conjunction to the creator. Love the info about the profiles. Definitely knew there was something fishy going on in LR compared to capture one so I hope people find this comment. And finally just went to my local camera store here in Austin and had my first hands on experience with the 100s. You are absolutely right about the grip and size, it’s actually perfect for me. I will miss the rangefinder style that I’ve come to love but it just has too many benefits not to give it a try. I mean, my Fuji rep that I use even shoots professional sports with it (Austin FC) and claims the AF stickiness is almost on par with the XT-4. For medium format that is ridiculous. Thanks again for getting into the details and hope to hear from you on the next video! Thanks
thanks micah! So I know theres like a million adapters now for the GFX line but I have only used the viltrox version for my 50R. It was pretty good actually. Unfortunately not the mitakon but using an adapter on my camera definitely made me hopeful for others. Hope that helped and thanks for subbing too!
@@davecapote it’s actually a lens, not an adapter, Mitakon makes a fast 65mm F1.4 and a 85 1.2 (one that fits the full medium format image circle) they can be found for sub 1k. Have a good one 🤙🏽
Not sure that any film simulation gets baked into the raw. You can access all those simulations in ACR etc. As far as I can see you can always revert to the unadulterated raw file. I'm happy to be corrected though.
I could not agree with you more. No matter how many people say that there's no difference between sensors, I can see it. I also agree with you on CaptureOne. Love it. I have been shooting with the Fuji X-Series but have been wanting this camera for a while now. I think I need to pull the trigger. How would you compare the low-light performance on the GFX vs the X-T4?
Great breakdown of the pros and cons of the system. I'm shooting with an X-T3 but may make the leap when the 50s mkII arrives soon-ish...that will use the same body as the 100s, and ibis for $3999.
hey janelle! quick answer to your question: before switching to fuji, I used to scan with my sony a7riii and a macro. But since switching, I use an epson v600 and negative lab pro to convert. I may make a future video with when I get a macro for my GFX50R and I can show the process of that vs scanning with the Epson. Maybe if the interest is there?
I am thinking of switching to GFX50R for remote landscapes (daylight) as looks so much more enjoyable to shoot with than my D810 and the used price looks great value vs GFX100s. Q - will I regret not having IBIS in daylight using the wider Fuji primes and cropping where needed? I don’t care about fast autofocus for this sort of work. My other option wld be to pay up a lot and go for the lighter Leica M system but suspect for landscapes the Fuji is better. (I love my Fuji X100T so know Fuji well).
Hey Tran, so if I'm doing commercial work I use Capture one or personal stuff (easy quick editing / using presets I've made) I use lightroom. Now I misspoke a little bit when I talked about the "baked in" nature of using simulations. I know you can change the profiles in lightroom after the fact, but what I was mostly talking about were the preset values of highlights, shadows, dynamic range, etc. I have some specific simulations that would be tough to edit in different ways after the fact. ie. the cinestill simulations I use. That's primarily what I was talking about. Hope that helps!
i am looking at the 100s, not sure what the difference is between the 50s and 100s except resolution. did notice that the 100s is faster in focus then the 50 series.
yeah, there's a small number of things that are different. AF is faster in the 100s. Image stabilization in the 100s, the 50s does not have it. very unlikely you'd use it fo this but the 100s can shoot 4k 30p whereas the 50s is 1080 30p.
hey peter, not going to lie to you but when I left my other systems I completely jumped ship and sold all the lenses as well. That being said I've read a bunch and have known a lot of people who use fotodiox ( a little pricey ) and have had good results. When I was shooting sony I used metabones adapter with great results. Don't know from personal experience but sure it would be high quality
Great video. Question: Have you found a solid workflow with the RAW Studio for shooting larger batches of images (for pro shoots for instance)? Because that would be optimal for some cases
Hey Austin! To be honest, I’ve moved to strictly shooting a capture one workflow with my 50R. Mostly because I use it primarily in the studio but also since I feel like capture one handles Fuji images the best in my opinion. They just render the images best for my workflow. I found the raw studio to be too clunky and cumbersome.
@@davecapote Ok gotcha - that’s why I ask because I found the same thing with Raw studio and also use capture one for everything now. C1 is definitely the move
Unfortunately, not really. There was a new firmware update this week but I haven’t downloaded it yet. Didn’t see anything in the notes about AF but ya never know
10:20 what they're on about is its not 'true medium format' or significant enough to base your purchase off. its not real medium format because it's half-way between full-frame and medium format, basically a small medium-format. BUT... if it provides plenty of DOF goodness then who cares. could it be better / could the sensor be larger? yep. is it? no. does that matter? not really.
and just for conclusions - the GFX (even this 50R) kicks *ss of every full and lesser size sensor for dynamic range - also the newer models, auch as the Nikon Z6/7 II (and i have one, so I know because i did the test in shadow recovery)
Should I buy the GFX 50R if I am using it for Instagram only? (No client work). Or am I better off with an X-T4? Instagram will inevitably compress my images-so I am not sure if medium format even makes sense for Instagram?
Good question. If it were me I’d go with the x-t4. A lot more bang for your buck and multiple lenses for the cost of the 50R and one lens. I sometimes use the x-t4 for client work too. It’s an amazing powerful camera. File size and space on my hard drives are nice too!
@@davecapote On image quality-since the X-T4 has a smaller sensor, do you think you can compensate for it with more expensive glass? Like the new XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens has like 15 elements of glass and every person that reviewed it said it was super sharp. That lens is $900-which is quite a lot for a prime lens. Do you think a sharp and very high-quality piece of glass (like the new LM WR lens line-up) can give the X-T4 the same image quality as that of a full-frame camera?
@@Aurosis absolutely can. Personally I have not had any issues with native glass. Even some 3rd party companies like viltrox (chromatic aberration was kinda bad though). It’s a great camera. Don’t even notice it’s aps-c 99% of the time
@@davecapote I bought the X-T4 in black with the new XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens to compensate a little for the smaller sensor size. Screw on a brass shutter button and you've pretty much reached peak aesthetic. I think this is good enough. The quality needs to be good, of course-but in the end, the public won't be hyper-analyzing the sharpness, but will be paying more attention to the art and whatever you're producing. Understand: the greatest impediment to peoples creativity is not their lack of gear-but their impatience, the almost inevitable desire to hurry up the process, express something, and make a splash. Most people don’t have the patience to absorb their minds in the fine points and minutiae that are intrinsically part of their work. They are in a hurry to create effects, get attention and make a splash; they think in large brush strokes. They may shoot with crazy gear, but their work inevitably reveals their lack of attention to detail-it doesn’t connect deeply with the public, and it feels flimsy. If it gets attention, the attention is momentary. When striving to create the extraordinary, always remember: what is crucial is the mental process, not the image or the gear behind the scenes. What will truly shock and linger long in the mind are those works and ideas that grow out of the soil of the ordinary and banal, that are unexpected, that make us question and contest the very nature of the reality we see around us.
Thanks! Unfortunately, Nikon is just one of those systems I’ve never really tried out. But I will say that a Nikon Z7 is not even in the same ballpark due to its sensor size. Probably a great camera though. Most mirrorless cameras are great cameras
B&H here in NYC has film,film support,and support for anything that has to do with stills/video and there's bundles/sales,and more,from QUALIFIED people who DO THIS>..
Ok, so whats the point of paying all that money for the resolution and sharpness when you admit the AF is terrible and you miss so many shots? Nice video but no thanks. As a working professional, I cant have a camera where I may or may not hit focus.
Hey michael, what you're saying isn't wrong at all. As a "budget" (and I say that loosely) entry into a digital Medium Format system, I think it has its place in a studio setting. Outside of the studio or lets say even in the hands of a hobyist not paying off the camera with using it for work, I think people should consider saving for an upgrade like the 100s or even a completely different system. Personally, it was the right camera for me at the time. Taking the extra time with still products and giving my clients a high quality product has still put dollars in my pocket. This video is exactly for people like you to get the information most photographers don't normally like to talk about, the Cons to their investments. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video though. Glad to see at least it was informative for you!
The af is not terrible… it’s just not speedy, or meant to be, compared to the X series or other smaller sensor cameras. Compared to phase one, hasselblad and other medium format, the af is outright blazing, save maybe for the much much more expensive Leica offering (phase one is super expensive as well)
Like Noger said,MF is it's own thing..If someone cries about price,weight,and size,they are not qualified to be debating about it.It's like if I have the money for an Audi TT or Aston Martin,i do not want to hear some chirping for some broke ass wannabee who has a Prius,because it's 'affordable'.This year and the end of last year,I treated myself to timepieces,not watches,and a fine piece of jewelry,and I am never looking back into brokeandcomplainingwhining.When you figure out how to make money,to make residual money,to invest into yourself,to invest into your craft,there's no logical reason to waste time worrying about what coulda/shoulda been...Great move...
There is no such a thing as "medium format look". It's just what people who spend thousands of dollars on medium format cameras and lenses tell themselves.
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great review :-)
I've been shooting landscapes with my 50R for nearly 3 years now and love it. I use the 23mm, 32-64 and 100-200mm lenses, all of which are excellent and warrant the price in my opinion..
I thought about getting a 100S or used 100 but quickly realised they wouldn't really improve my images. I shoot in manual focus 100% of the time so AF speed is not important to me. And as I shoot petty well all my images on a tripod I don't need IBIS.
My only real dislikes are the ergos and button placement.
It's hands down the best camera I've ever used for my style of shooting.
So glad to hear! If it works for you it works! I gotta try out that 23mm. I bet it’s awesome
I also got the 50r on sale 6 months ago, along with the 32-64mm (also on sale). I came from a Nikon d800e and Sigma DP2 Merrills. I do landscapes and fine art painting reproductions and absolutely love this camera. Best digital camera I have ever used. The 32-64mm lens is as sharp as prime lenses, at all zoom levels, when stopped down a bit. I also got the Fotodiox adapter for my Mamiya 7 (best film camera I ever used) lenses, which works like a charm. The Mamiya 80mm and 150mm are tack sharp without any vignetting when stopped down and resulting images have an absolutely brilliant look and feel. Also I just ordered the Fuji 50mm as it is under $1000 Canadian at the moment. I feel like I have hit peak camera with the 50r. Oh ya, also getting away from the horrible 3:2 format to the 4:3 is also a big positive.
Note: a did a quick test comparing output from my Sigma DP2 Merrill to the 50r (equiv 45mm using the zoom) and man oh man the Sigma holds up extremely well!
Keep the reviews coming!
That sounds awesome! looking forward to getting the fotodiox adapter too. Mamiya 80mm is my favorite lens of all time. Cant wait to see what it looks like on the 50R. Thanks for the comment, and excited to make more videos soon.
@@davecapote That Mamiya 80mm is also my favorite. It works really well on the 50r, but is a bit of a weird focal length. It converts to a 35mm equivalent of 63mm, which is a very unique focal length, but that being said I have come to like it. I sometimes use it as a walk around lens and find it very easy to focus manually using focus peaking. It has to be one of the best lenses ever made.
Sigma DP2 merrill is a great camera!!
Interesting times. I own the GFX50r, Mamiya 7, Bronica etrs system, Merrills and the three lenses from the Mamiya 6 system. Have just adapted the Bronica PE lenses ( still evaluating ), will buy the adaptor for the single Mamiya 7 lens I own and really wish there was an adaptor for the Mamiya 6 G lenses, which there isnt. So we have wonderful choices.
@@geoffbillett best part of modern cameras and vintage lenses. the ability to still use them is amazing
Great Video.
I love my GFX50R and shoot weddings only with it (Slow Style). It is so inspiring. I had a Canon R6 for Backup but i dont use it and sold it.
My Setup is GF45 and GF80
Wow that’s awesome. Lot of confidence to be doing that but if it works it works! Also, both are lenses I’ve been eyeing forever. Thanks for the comment and good luck with your weddings post pandemic!
This is one of the best reviews out there. Well done
appreciate it !
Hi David, I know it’s been a year you’ve done this awesome video and I just stumbled upon it. You want to say from the GFX R to the 50sii & 100s medium format those cameras was never designed for every day shoot.
I shot medium film format for years with everything manual focus, exposure, shutter, speed, film, speed all done manually. I was the computer that triggered everything. Now that we in the digital age nothing change but it has a computer inside to aid the photography process. That Fuji’s MF for people who knows how to understand how to control that large format camera. Fuji had finally almost replace and getting closer to film simulation. Compared to other digital media format we can now afford to experience the truth, quality image of a medium format. Thank You for your wisdom and experience. I’m glad to see young man like you who has patience and passion and getting great results.
Dude... There's just something about how medium format images look... They look really cinematic, clean, smooth and really stunning. Doesn't matter if it's a 10MP sensor or a 100MP sensor, a medium format image will always stick out from the crowd. I always recognize an image taken with a medium format sensor in an instant, that's how much they stick out - at least to me.
100% agree. Can almost instantly tell if it’s shot on one.
I tried the GFX 50 S2 yesterday out, actually wanted the gfx 50r but yeah. And I forgot to check what resolution it is going to save... It save in 30mp and even with that resolution it is soooooo sharp. I was like oh f yeah that must be the lens and the 50mp but no it was 30mp haha. I only tried it out in the shop and I think I am in love.
I looked at the photos later, I saw directly like wow that's the Medium format look. I photographed my camera and a lens and it was just so smooth how the parts a bit out of focus and in focus flow into each other. I.... I want it.
worst thing was the auto focus of course, it reminded me of the analog camera I got for 20$.
@@foxyvisionsvideographer Well, in the medium format world, the best AF you're going to get, is if you spend your entire life savings on a high end Hasselblad or on any of the PhaseOne cameras - otherwise, people who shoot medium format mostly use manual focus anyway (that's also why most if not all medium format lenses are manual focus only.)
Ever since I wrote my original comment up here, I have made a full switch onto Hasselblad X system. First I sold all my Sony gear, then I sold all my Canon gear and then I took a 2 month break from any photography work in order to make the full switch into the Hasselblads X system more smooth and let me tell you... It was the best decision I have ever made! Even my clients tell me that the images look much better than what's seen on my portfolio (don't know if I should be happy or sad about that LOL) so currently I'm in the process of re-doing my entire portfolio!
(Forgot to mention: I went with the X1Dll not the original X1D and hopefully, in near future, I will have enough money saved up to switch to Hasselblads H system!)
@@nogerboher5266 thank you, kind of what I wanted to hear. I would like to see what you are shooting, are you doing mostly studio shoots?
@@foxyvisionsvideographer Well it's me and my brother who started the business, doing weddings but as of 2017, we completely quit doing weddings for good and now we do mostly portraiture, boudoir/nude art and non-commercial editorials - which, compared to dealing with all the constant stress, constant pressure, high risk, anxiety, and everything else that goes hand in hand with doing weddings, is life changing and when I say life changing I mean that to the literal sense of the word! I don't know about my brother but I, personally, will never do weddings, ever again!
As far as studio work goes, most of our work revolves around women/models/''portfolio chasers'' and they already have a general idea of what they want when they contact us, so about 70-80% of our work is either portraiture or nude art, the rest are simple editorials. As for where do we mostly shoot, I'd say it's 50/50, since usually our clients already know whether they want to go out or stay in the studio, before they even contact us and sometimes they even have a place in mind, where they want to do the shoot.
Lately, even before I switched to Hasselblad, we started doing way more nude art/boudoir and glamour style shoots outdoors. For some reason, abandoned buildings and random grass fields that are 1 billion miles away from the city, seem to be REALLY popular with models these days.
Great, honest and accurate review. Have been using this camera for a couple of years and agree with everything you say. It’s a good camera and I love it for what it does, but it’s not a 35mm speed demon. But, I didn’t expect it would be. What this camera does is fill that desire that I had for a digital equivalent to my medium format film cameras and it does that very well. Good luck and God bless. Don
thanks Don!
I think a lot of photographers who purchased the Fujifilm Medium format camera ,never rented one prior to purchasing one and or have no ideal what a medium format main purpose is. This is not a sport camera ,stop trying to make it one. Most peoples who shoot with a medium format use manual focus in anyway.
Awesome video! Thinking about adding the camera to my kit and it was really helpful to hear the cons along with the pros. Definitely helped me with my decision! Thanks!
youre welcome! hope you decided to go for it!
@@davecapote for sure have! hoping santa will see the list lol
Very nice and honest review Dave…the comparison with Mamiya 7 is spot on! I will also add the Fuji GA645i as similar. Is not a fast camera but a great camera if you slow down, like portraits and of course landscape. I have this camera and mostly use it for landscape in manual mode… I’m using older Hasselblad V lens with adapter as an alternative an the results are incredible! Thanks for sharing, be safe. Cheers…
Thank you Alejandro! Would love to see hasselblad glass on it. I bet it’s incredible!
Spot on about the Sony's orangey tint. Drives me crazy as well.
just for a slight correction on the RAW and color profiles - nithibg is baked into the RAW file per-se, it is represented as exif data for the RAW, but if/how that exif data is applied is entirely up to the software in post-editing- completely non-destructive to the image
thanks for the info! A lot of viewers comments have cleared that up for me and I hope people search through to get some better information on it! Also found that Capture One likes to play nicely with these files rather than Lightroom. Even down to the weird noise that Lightroom puts into the images.
Same Austin Texas Film/commercial photographer here! Nice video and I am considering to get this from a buddy of mine recently
haha gotta love ATX! I think it still is proving its worth for me. great bang for buck
Good video. Clear straightforward info. Much appreciated.
glad I came across your video. Considering my next purchase and the GFX has been tempting especially if I stop shooting film (which I don't do a ton of anymore anyway) and for portrait work. Have considered the XH2, the ARiii or iv, Nikon Z7 and others but seeing some used prices on the 50R and it is super tempting. Biggest consideration for me is if I will like having a camera in rangefinder style when all other cameras are traditional dslr style (the muscle memory is definitely a thing!).
Regarding that slow shutter, I guess you have to bear in mind that you’re opening and closing something not far off the size of a garage door!😂. I do love my 50R. I’m a landscape shooter and use it with a Canon 24mm tilt-shift. Dream combination.
its a monster of a sensor so youre not wrong! but they got it right with the 50sii and im happier now!
Fuji make hasselblad glass, so not surprising their lenses are so expensive, but the quality is something else
Yeah it isn’t shocking in that aspect, I was just presenting it for someone who is full frame mirrorless user that might be watching this who isn’t exposed to that world. Like you said though quality is something else!
I’m using sonya 7r IV, canon eos r5 for my professional use. But Fuji gfx 50r on alone nigh walks, it’s just awesome. Somehow the pics from Fuji gfx 50r are better then sony a7s iii ( in the night). 🙂🙂
larger pixel sensors usually help out a bunch! Very surprising to hear the comparison to the a7siii. I owned a a7sii back in the day and swear that thing had night vision. It was amazing
Nice - thanks for your videos! Your reasons for this video are spot-on with what I needed to know.
Hey Scott, Glad I could help out! its seemed to be helping a lot of others too so I hope to make more in the future.
@@davecapote couple of your comments about colors and Sony and spending too much time jacking with color, as well as trying to get close to film... I have at least three times heard comments from clients using the words "orange... too orange..." And spend too much time trying to get color where I think it should be... But the biggest driver..... that medium format is just different...
Hey Dave, really enjoyed your video and listening to your thoughts on this - especially your chilled out / laid back vibe. Just a couple of things to clarify (really more for other viewers - not you) that might be helpful; first, the film simulations and setting "recipes" are only baked into the RAW files in that this is how the embedded JPEG preview sidecar file looks - but your actual RAW file is unaffected. That said, whatever software you’re using has to make some decision on how to display that RAW file off the bat, and particularly in the case of Capture One (which I also love) as opposed to Lightroom (which I ditched years ago), Capture One uses this embedded JPEG so (really helpfully for me) it displays your RAW file (if you want it to) using the exact same look as the simulation and settings you chose to shoot it with. However, you still have the freedom to start from a different profile/look, including Fuji’s other film simulations. LR by comparison uses its own ICC profiles which aren’t anything like the original JPEG’s or as good a Fuji’s film simulations, so there’s a lot more work just to get it to look how you actually shot it.
As for the whole "real medium format" size sensors, what PhaseOne and Hasselblad fail to mention is that not only were their older "medium format" sensors the same size (44x33mm), and some of their models still use that same size (and of course no one disputes those are "true medium format"), but even their current "full frame medium format sensors" are only actually 53x40mm - which of course is bigger than what they used to (and still do use on some models) but none of them are still quite "true" medium format which started at 60x40mm and there was also 60x60mm, 60x70mm and 60x90mm - so all those criticisms of Fujifilm’s amazing medium format sensor not being "true" medium format are just b@llsh&t and let’s face it, they’re just terrified that the GFX system is really good by their amazing standards without it costing £20-30k!
Finally (sorry for long rant) if you love the big grip on your old Mamiya, you will love the new GFX100S. It’s super chunky and satisfying to hold - especially with the SmallRig plate to extend the body length just a little more 😉. Also so far I only have the 32-64mm f/4 but the autofocus is incredibly fast, and quiet on the GFX100S and more than quick enough for everything I need (the 110mm f/2 arrives next week, so will see how that compares) with the Phase Detection AF, so that negative you’ve experienced would disappear if/when you get chance to upgrade 👍 The lenses are also way cheaper than the competition in the medium format market, or even the new Canon lenses for the R5. The shutter on the GFX100s is also way, way quieter and super responsive (like my X-H1)
Hey Stephen, wow thanks for that response. The reason I love RUclips and making these videos so much is people can add so much valuable information in conjunction to the creator. Love the info about the profiles. Definitely knew there was something fishy going on in LR compared to capture one so I hope people find this comment. And finally just went to my local camera store here in Austin and had my first hands on experience with the 100s. You are absolutely right about the grip and size, it’s actually perfect for me. I will miss the rangefinder style that I’ve come to love but it just has too many benefits not to give it a try. I mean, my Fuji rep that I use even shoots professional sports with it (Austin FC) and claims the AF stickiness is almost on par with the XT-4. For medium format that is ridiculous. Thanks again for getting into the details and hope to hear from you on the next video! Thanks
Stephen Dixon nice response! I learned a lot from Dave's video and also your added well thought out comments!!
@@jerryeisner1 thank you! glad that I and people in the comments like Stephen can help!
Nice video, thanks for that. I own the same camera. Love that character to the images.
thanks alexander. really has been an amazing system so far
Awesome video, just subbed. Have you considered the mitakon speed master for the GFX system? I own and love the 35 mm 0.95 speed-master for X mount.
thanks micah! So I know theres like a million adapters now for the GFX line but I have only used the viltrox version for my 50R. It was pretty good actually. Unfortunately not the mitakon but using an adapter on my camera definitely made me hopeful for others. Hope that helped and thanks for subbing too!
@@davecapote it’s actually a lens, not an adapter, Mitakon makes a fast 65mm F1.4 and a 85 1.2 (one that fits the full medium format image circle) they can be found for sub 1k. Have a good one 🤙🏽
@@EpitomePax haha totally misread that! I’ve only used native glass but I’ll check it out!
Not sure that any film simulation gets baked into the raw. You can access all those simulations in ACR etc. As far as I can see you can always revert to the unadulterated raw file. I'm happy to be corrected though.
I could not agree with you more. No matter how many people say that there's no difference between sensors, I can see it. I also agree with you on CaptureOne. Love it. I have been shooting with the Fuji X-Series but have been wanting this camera for a while now. I think I need to pull the trigger. How would you compare the low-light performance on the GFX vs the X-T4?
Good video! I also use the GFX50R and really like it. What USB-C>USB-C cable do you use to tether with the C1? Thanks.
I normally use a 15ft Tether Pro cable usb c to usb . I've also used a macbook usb c cable a couple of times in a pinch when I forgot my cable too
Great breakdown of the pros and cons of the system. I'm shooting with an X-T3 but may make the leap when the 50s mkII arrives soon-ish...that will use the same body as the 100s, and ibis for $3999.
thanks TJ. that does sound like a great option too. if they make the same improvements as the 100s I see that as an amazing option
I’d like to see how you are scanning your film.
hey janelle! quick answer to your question: before switching to fuji, I used to scan with my sony a7riii and a macro. But since switching, I use an epson v600 and negative lab pro to convert. I may make a future video with when I get a macro for my GFX50R and I can show the process of that vs scanning with the Epson. Maybe if the interest is there?
Yes I am interested. Thanks.
Also interested in this video!
it's 2300 dollars in Europe second hand in amazing condition, 12000 actuations
I am thinking of switching to GFX50R for remote landscapes (daylight) as looks so much more enjoyable to shoot with than my D810 and the used price looks great value vs GFX100s. Q - will I regret not having IBIS in daylight using the wider Fuji primes and cropping where needed? I don’t care about fast autofocus for this sort of work. My other option wld be to pay up a lot and go for the lighter Leica M system but suspect for landscapes the Fuji is better. (I love my Fuji X100T so know Fuji well).
Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Jose. Appreciate it!
Hey dave whats the lens on this camera
It’s the GFX 110 f2 with a 10% cinebloom on it
@@davecapote thanks a lot you are so kind
If I member it right you can Adjust the Shutter Button z
When you mentioned the simulation from JPEG photos baked in Raw files in post, what is the editing software do you use? Capture one or Adobe?
Hey Tran, so if I'm doing commercial work I use Capture one or personal stuff (easy quick editing / using presets I've made) I use lightroom. Now I misspoke a little bit when I talked about the "baked in" nature of using simulations. I know you can change the profiles in lightroom after the fact, but what I was mostly talking about were the preset values of highlights, shadows, dynamic range, etc. I have some specific simulations that would be tough to edit in different ways after the fact. ie. the cinestill simulations I use. That's primarily what I was talking about. Hope that helps!
Thanks.
Colours: Canon: boosted, Nikon: cool, Sony: sterile, Leica, Hasselblad, Fuji: great.
i am looking at the 100s, not sure what the difference is between the 50s and 100s except resolution. did notice that the 100s is faster in focus then the 50 series.
yeah, there's a small number of things that are different. AF is faster in the 100s. Image stabilization in the 100s, the 50s does not have it. very unlikely you'd use it fo this but the 100s can shoot 4k 30p whereas the 50s is 1080 30p.
@@davecapote not buying it for video but for Art prints and portrait work. image quality is most important.
Then the 100s should definitely be your pick. Sounds like it’s the one
Hi Dave, thanks for the video sharing your useful experience. Could you please recommend an adapter for Canon L lenses like 85mm f1.4? Thanks, Peter
hey peter, not going to lie to you but when I left my other systems I completely jumped ship and sold all the lenses as well. That being said I've read a bunch and have known a lot of people who use fotodiox ( a little pricey ) and have had good results. When I was shooting sony I used metabones adapter with great results. Don't know from personal experience but sure it would be high quality
Has autofocus improved with firmware updates in 2023?
Hey Erik. Unfortunately, I sold the 50R for the 50sii a year or so ago.
Great video. Question: Have you found a solid workflow with the RAW Studio for shooting larger batches of images (for pro shoots for instance)? Because that would be optimal for some cases
Hey Austin!
To be honest, I’ve moved to strictly shooting a capture one workflow with my 50R. Mostly because I use it primarily in the studio but also since I feel like capture one handles Fuji images the best in my opinion. They just render the images best for my workflow. I found the raw studio to be too clunky and cumbersome.
@@davecapote Ok gotcha - that’s why I ask because I found the same thing with Raw studio and also use capture one for everything now. C1 is definitely the move
Has autofocus improved with firmware updates?
Unfortunately, not really. There was a new firmware update this week but I haven’t downloaded it yet. Didn’t see anything in the notes about AF but ya never know
10:20 what they're on about is its not 'true medium format' or significant enough to base your purchase off. its not real medium format because it's half-way between full-frame and medium format, basically a small medium-format. BUT... if it provides plenty of DOF goodness then who cares. could it be better / could the sensor be larger? yep. is it? no. does that matter? not really.
and just for conclusions - the GFX (even this 50R) kicks *ss of every full and lesser size sensor for dynamic range - also the newer models, auch as the Nikon Z6/7 II (and i have one, so I know because i did the test in shadow recovery)
Whats that lens in the vid? Looks canonish?
Filming with? It’s a Fujifilm xt4 and a 23mm 1.4
@@davecapote the one on the 50R?
@@SimonWardleMillar ah no that’s a GFX 110mm f2. The red ring is a Moment cinebloom filter
@@davecapote 😉
Where is it at 0:31???
that's Glacier National Park in Montana!
Good review: I want one
Note 📝
Use the word algorithm instead of recipe
(Sounds posh)
thanks! also they're called recipes because of fujiweekly's website. all of their simulations are called recipes
Should I buy the GFX 50R if I am using it for Instagram only? (No client work). Or am I better off with an X-T4? Instagram will inevitably compress my images-so I am not sure if medium format even makes sense for Instagram?
Good question. If it were me I’d go with the x-t4. A lot more bang for your buck and multiple lenses for the cost of the 50R and one lens. I sometimes use the x-t4 for client work too. It’s an amazing powerful camera. File size and space on my hard drives are nice too!
@@davecapote On image quality-since the X-T4 has a smaller sensor, do you think you can compensate for it with more expensive glass? Like the new XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens has like 15 elements of glass and every person that reviewed it said it was super sharp. That lens is $900-which is quite a lot for a prime lens. Do you think a sharp and very high-quality piece of glass (like the new LM WR lens line-up) can give the X-T4 the same image quality as that of a full-frame camera?
@@Aurosis absolutely can. Personally I have not had any issues with native glass. Even some 3rd party companies like viltrox (chromatic aberration was kinda bad though). It’s a great camera. Don’t even notice it’s aps-c 99% of the time
@@davecapote I bought the X-T4 in black with the new XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens to compensate a little for the smaller sensor size. Screw on a brass shutter button and you've pretty much reached peak aesthetic.
I think this is good enough. The quality needs to be good, of course-but in the end, the public won't be hyper-analyzing the sharpness, but will be paying more attention to the art and whatever you're producing.
Understand: the greatest impediment to peoples creativity is not their lack of gear-but their impatience, the almost inevitable desire to hurry up the process, express something, and make a splash.
Most people don’t have the patience to absorb their minds in the fine points and minutiae that are intrinsically part of their work. They are in a hurry to create effects, get attention and make a splash; they think in large brush strokes. They may shoot with crazy gear, but their work inevitably reveals their lack of attention to detail-it doesn’t connect deeply with the public, and it feels flimsy. If it gets attention, the attention is momentary.
When striving to create the extraordinary, always remember: what is crucial is the mental process, not the image or the gear behind the scenes. What will truly shock and linger long in the mind are those works and ideas that grow out of the soil of the ordinary and banal, that are unexpected, that make us question and contest the very nature of the reality we see around us.
Great video! Have you tried the nikon z7? I wonder how it compares?
Thanks! Unfortunately, Nikon is just one of those systems I’ve never really tried out. But I will say that a Nikon Z7 is not even in the same ballpark due to its sensor size. Probably a great camera though. Most mirrorless cameras are great cameras
🤩😍
B&H now has it for $2999
yeah, They've come down a bunch and I think it's worth it even more now that it's significantly cheaper!
Nice hat
thanks gotta rep austin!
i regret selling it.
Might be able to snag one from someone upgrading to the 100s. Good luck if you do!
Canon/Sony are for professionals and Fuji for artists
B&H here in NYC has film,film support,and support for anything that has to do with stills/video and there's bundles/sales,and more,from QUALIFIED people who DO THIS>..
Ok, so whats the point of paying all that money for the resolution and sharpness when you admit the AF is terrible and you miss so many shots? Nice video but no thanks. As a working professional, I cant have a camera where I may or may not hit focus.
Hey michael, what you're saying isn't wrong at all. As a "budget" (and I say that loosely) entry into a digital Medium Format system, I think it has its place in a studio setting. Outside of the studio or lets say even in the hands of a hobyist not paying off the camera with using it for work, I think people should consider saving for an upgrade like the 100s or even a completely different system. Personally, it was the right camera for me at the time. Taking the extra time with still products and giving my clients a high quality product has still put dollars in my pocket. This video is exactly for people like you to get the information most photographers don't normally like to talk about, the Cons to their investments. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video though. Glad to see at least it was informative for you!
The af is not terrible… it’s just not speedy, or meant to be, compared to the X series or other smaller sensor cameras. Compared to phase one, hasselblad and other medium format, the af is outright blazing, save maybe for the much much more expensive Leica offering (phase one is super expensive as well)
Like Noger said,MF is it's own thing..If someone cries about price,weight,and size,they are not qualified to be debating about it.It's like if I have the money for an Audi TT or Aston Martin,i do not want to hear some chirping for some broke ass wannabee who has a Prius,because it's 'affordable'.This year and the end of last year,I treated myself to timepieces,not watches,and a fine piece of jewelry,and I am never looking back into brokeandcomplainingwhining.When you figure out how to make money,to make residual money,to invest into yourself,to invest into your craft,there's no logical reason to waste time worrying about what coulda/shoulda been...Great move...
There is no such a thing as "medium format look". It's just what people who spend thousands of dollars on medium format cameras and lenses tell themselves.
26min of talking about photography with zero image examples - not good. blablabla
Thanks for the feedback. There’s a couple in there if you scrub through but I’ll put more next time.
Dave don’t do it. Make him listen. Make him work for it.